a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Off-Day Odds and Ends

The Koof is getting front and center billing at the Target Center. (TBJ)

Two. There’s all this uproar among Jazz fans over Paul Millsap being left off the All-Star ballot. While it would be nice for him to get that recognition, and I’m sure deep down he would like that recognition, I honestly don’t feel that it’s a big deal.

The All-Star Game is a joke. If it weren’t, they wouldn’t be printing up the ballots before the season even begins. Furthermore, the game itself hasn’t been watchable in over a decade. I can’t remember if I voted last year or not, but if I did, it was for Deron, AI and T-Mac. As for the skewing Chinese fan vote, don’t hate China. Hate the NBA for being so desperate to cash in on the ginormous Chinese market that it allows Chinese fans to vote. Of course they’re going to vote for their own guys, which is no different than fans of X team voting for X team’s players. The NBA made that happen, so if you want to blame someone, blame the NBA.

Let’s revisit this conversation in four years when that 14-year old, 7-foot Indian kid is stuck on the end of an NBA bench, and India votes him in as All-Star starter.

Three. From the “Did You Know” files: Did you know that Ron Boone played for Phil Johnson for two seasons in Kansas City? Booner the Ironman played in all 164 games and averaged (roughly) 20 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1+ steal per game during that stretch. Also on that team in Booner’s second year was [current] Pistons head coach John Kuester.

Four. Who knows whether Ante Tomic will ever cross the pond. *shrug* One thing I do know though: He’ll have no problems fitting in with his future [other Euro] teammates.

Like AK, Memo, and Fes, Tomic shaves his armpits.

Five. Great Mark Eaton quote, on getting elected into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame: “I told them I wasn’t sure I was old enough to go in the Hall of Fame, but then I looked at Gordon Hayward’s parents on TV the other day and I thought, hmmmm, I think I’m older than them.” (desnews)

Six. Great Jerry Sloan quote: “If you’re busting your rear end out there and you make a mistake, you’re right even though you’re wrong.” (KFAN audio)

Eight. I’m starting to wonder what role ice pick fights have played in Jerry Sloan’s life.

After the Hawks game, Jerry said, “Even when we had a little trouble to start the season, at least they stayed together and worked themselves out of it. That’s the only way you have a chance. If you get in an ice pick fight out in the parking lot, then you have to try to solve that problem.” (desnews)

This was not the first time Jerry has referenced ice pick wars.

Two seasons ago, after a loss to the Heat at the ESA, Jerry said, “We have to continue to work at it, see how we come back, not have too many ice-pick wars in the locker room and out in the street, and we’ll be fine.” (desnews)

But wait, there’s more.

Eight seasons ago, the Jazz were off to a rough 1-3 start. After a loss to Seattle in which the Jazz got down by 26 points, Jerry said, “Our guys have to learn to be a little bit tougher and fight through some tough times…We’ll get a little bit better, I think, as time goes on…if we can just keep the ice-pick wars down to a minimum.” (desnews)

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Jerry used to play in a recreational ice-pick fighting league back in the day. It’d probably make me respect him even more. In other news, there might be something wrong with me.

KSL’s Alex Kirry: You know who Kyle Korver is.Gordon: Yes.
Kirry: He was last year’s heartthrob on the team.Gordon: Really.
Kirry: Yes. He had the hair. He had the look. What are you going to do to replace him as the heartthrob on the Utah Jazz? There’s a lot of pedophiles ladies looking for a poster.Gordon: (Awkward smile/laugh) So you’re automatically giving me the heartthrob of the team?
Kirry: Why not? I mean, would you want to take that role?Gordon: I mean, I could take that role if you’re gonna thrust it on me, but…
Kirry: Yes. Can we put you down for “New Heartthrob of the Jazz”?Gordon: You can put me down, sure.

So there you have it, certain demographic of Jazz fans. Gordon Hayward is willing to be your heartthrob.